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Internet service providers struck back at net neutrality
proponents yesterday with an open letter of their own, warning
the Federal Communications Commission that regulating broadband
as a public utility will stifle investments and innovation.

The letter was signed by 28 CEOs including AT&T’s Randall
Stephenson, Comcast’s Brian Roberts, Verizon’s Lowell McAdam and
Cablevision’s Brian Sweeney and Patrick Esser of Cox
Communications who would all like to what regulations are in
place rolled back even further.

“Such an action would greatly distort the future development of,
and investment in, tomorrow’s broadband networks and services,”
the letter reads. “New service offerings, options, and features
would be delayed or altogether foregone.

The executives argue that consumers would be given less choice
and a less adaptive Internet. "An era of differentiation,
innovation, and experimentation would be replaced with a series
of 'Government may I?' requests from American entrepreneurs. That
cannot be, and must not become, the U.S. Internet of tomorrow.”

The letter is a response to an open letter published earlier this
week, in which nearly every major tech company in America
blasted the
FCC’s alleged proposal for new rules governing the internet.

Now the ISPs’ biggest fear is being brought under Title 2 of the
Communications Act and regulated as telecommunications services
which they say “would impose great costs, allowing unprecedented
government micromanagement of all aspects of the Internet
economy.”

Net neutrality proponents say regulating broadband lines Under
Title 2 would give the FCC the authority to prevent ISPs from
blocking content or its competitors' services.

The proposal, which has still not been made public, is expected
to be voted upon by the commissioners tomorrow. It is expected to
be made public on Friday.